Thill-coupling.



PATENTED APR. 16, 1907.

PLIN

1) OUT R. D SBIBERT THILL GOU APPLIOATION FILE ROBERT D. SEIBERT, OF MILLVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

THlLL-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 16, 1907.

Application filed October 16, 1906. Serial No. 339,259.

To all 711720771 it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT D. SEIBERT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Millville, in the county of Columbia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thill-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention contemplates certain new and useful improvements in thill-couplings; and the object of the invention is to provide a simple and durable construction of device of this character which will enable the thills or shafts to be expeditiously applied and detached and which will hold the thills .or shafts securely in operative position without rattling.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure l is a side elevation of my improved thill-coupling. Fig. 2 is a perspective view thereof, and Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the parts detached from each other.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the main coupling member or axle member, which is provided with a rear extension-plate 2, which constitutes a gland for the clip-yoke so as to secure the main coupling member 1 to the front axle of the vehicle.

The main coupling member 1 is provided at its front end with a transverse socket 3,

extending entirely therethrough and circularv in cross-section and threaded throughout its length. The member 1 is further provided with a transversely-extending slot throughout its width opening into the threaded socket 3. Preferably the exterior of the front portion of the coupling member 1 is rounded, as shown, to correspond to the shape of the socket 3, and the slot 4 is preferably located to the rear of the vertical diameter of the socket 3 above the extension or plate 2.

5 designates a plug or bushing which is threaded on its exterior to screw into the socket 3 and is provided with a radial outwardly-opening slot 6, adapted to register with the slot 4 for the reception of the thilliron.

The thill-iron (designated 7) is secured to the rear end of the shaft or thill in any de sired manner and is provided with an eye 8, the rear wall of which is formed by a transverse coupling-bar 9 at the rear extremity of the thill-iron.

To insert the thills or shafts in place, the plugs 5, which are screwed into the sockets 3, are turned so that the slots 6 and 4 will register with each other and the thill or shaft is raised almost to a perpendicular position, so that the coupling-bar 9 may be inserted in the slots 6 and 4 and snugly received within the plug or bushing 5. The shaft is then lowered, which turns the threaded plug 5 around in the socket, so as to carry the slot 6 out of registry with the slot 4 and securely hold the thill-iron in place. It is obvious that to detach the thill it is only necessary to raise the same to an almost vertical position, so as to bring the slot 6 into registry with the slot 4, whereupon the coupling-bar 9 may be slid outwardly and disengaged. The eye 8 slides around the hooked formation constituted by the solid portion of the coupling member from the slot 4 forwardly around the socket 3. In order to prevent rattling, a spring .10 may be bolted underneath each shaft or thill, said spring being coiled between its ends and provided with two rear extremities 11, which are intended to be engaged underneath oppositely-extending lugs 12, projecting from the sides of the main coupling 1.

From the foregoing description, in connection withthe accompanying drawings, it will be seen that I have provided a very simple and durable construction of thill-coupling, whereby the thill or shaft may be readily secured in place and detached without the use of any tools and which will hold the shaft in place in operative position without any rattling of the parts.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. A thill-coupling comprising a main coupling member adapted to be attached to an axle, said member being formed at its forward end with a transversely-extending threaded socket, and a slot opening outwardly from said socket to the rear of the vertical diameter thereof, a threaded plug adapted to screw in said socket and provided with a radial slot designed to register with the first-namedslot, and a thill-iron provided at one end with an eye, and a coupling-bar transversely-extending threaded socket and beyond the eye, the said bar being arranged for insertion through the slot of the main coupling member into the slot of the plug, for the purpose specified.

2. A thill-coupling provided with a main coupling member adapted to be attached to the front axle of a vehicle and formed with a a slot opening outwardly from said socket and extending throughout the width of the member, the member also being provided with oppositely-extending lugs, a threaded plug designed to be screwed into the socket and provided with a radial slot adapted to register with the first-named slot, a thill-iron 1 formed with an eye, and a coupling-bar beyond the eye, the coupling-bar being adapted for insertion through the slot and the coupling member into the slot of the plug, and an antirattling-spring arranged for attachment tothe thill and coiled intermediate its ends and provided with two rear extremities arranged for engagement underneath the said lugs, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I ail-ix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT D. SEIBERT. Witnesses:

GEO. W. HENRIE, EDWARD BUCK. 

